All Hands In
by PurpleHippopotamus
Summary: It's a pretty small village. And Naruto and Hinata are practically involved in everyone's lives, which gives room for everyone to have had a hand in their new budding relationship.
1. Attention: Sakura

She leafed through the crowd of papers on her desk. They were endless. Between Lady Tsunadae's notes, paperwork for the union and documents for the new hospital, Sakura was swamped. At this rate, she'd be stuck at this table till her deathbed. She moaned as she lied on top of her papers. The room was quiet, save the breeze blowing in through the open window.

 _It's sure been quiet the past few days…. and lonely. Do i even have friends?_ Sakura wondered, only half joking. Days could be long and other times too short when she was by herself, which seemed almost all the time nowadays. Sasuke had left the village and there was no saying when he'd come back. Ino had her flower shop and Sai to keep her busy. Naruto… Sakura's green eyes lazily gazed out the window by her table. _When was the last time Naruto was around? She tried to remember._ It seems like ages ago when he would come around and bother her to take him for ramen.

She actually missed his whining, childish gripped her fist. _When was the last time I hit him over the head or sent him flying?_ Well, she hadn't since the last time he tried to teach some kids his perverted jutsu.

Just thinking about it made her blood boil. But, she calmed herself down, we all know his acting out was just a coping mechanism. A way to make friends. Nobody ever knew his struggle, not until the shinobi war. _Was he always so alone? So sad?_ She thought. That he had to resort to obnoxious pranks and wild stupidity to get the attention he wanted. She let out a sigh, leaning back into her chair, resting her head in her hands.

He's grown up a lot since then. He's got the village behind his back, all his friends and he's the sole reason we even have a shinobi alliance now. _That boy is a revolution by himself._ She looked back out the window, yeah, she missed that imbecile a ton. Maybe she'll visit him tomorrow, just to check up on him.

Not that he needed her as a crutch. He didn't have to act out anymore or look for people to hang out with him. He wasn't alone anymore. Sakura smiled to herself, as her eyes caught a pair of passerbys outside her window.

"Hinata! Look at this!"

"N-naruto, I don't think that's safe."

 _It seems he has all the attention he needs now._


	2. Missions: Kakashi

_There's been so much change in the world. So much death, so much pain yet so much growth. But who knows how long this will last. But where has the time gone._

Why feels like only yesterday he was leading Team 7, with moody Sasuke, shy Sakue and eager Naruto. Naruto used to be so excited for missions. He would take anything willingly and always ask for the toughest ones. "C'mon, Kakashi-sensei! Fix my mission schedule. Gimme something more interesting. Not the boring B or C rank ones. Where are all the S-rank missions? I want one with some super spy action" Naruto told him, showing off his karate moves.

 _But, well, that was when he was still a genin. A 13-year-old who thought missions that weren't S-rank were boring._ Kakashi thought, smiling at the fond memory. What he wouldn't do for something boring right now, so he could relax and read his favourite book series. Everything is so pressing when you're the hokage.

He strolled into the office, short blonde hair and his big blue eyes, he was like Minato's ghost. An almost exact replica. Then he opened his mouth and it was like Kushina was in the room. Kakashi shuddered at the thought of such a beautiful, but dangerous hothead. _Oh, he's started speaking, i should tune in._

"Kakashi- sensei! I need you to fix my mission schedule."

 _Glad to see somethings never change_ , he thought with little dismay. "I'm not your sensei anymore, Naruto. I'm the hokage. And that would be a gross abuse of my powers, as hokag-"

"I want all of Hinata's missions. Or at least the S-rank ones."

 _Huh?_ "Naruto-"

"But that wouldn't be fair to Kiba and Shino…Actually maybe it'll be better if you just put me on her team. Just for the S-rank ones… Wait, that won't do, right? Maybe put Sakura on the team instead..."

"Naruto."

"But that team wouldn't really work out, Sakura hates bugs. Kakashi-sensei, maybe you should just pass all the S-rank missions to the genin, that way-"

"Naruto!"

As if on command, Naruto rushed over threw himself over the desk, "Please please please please!"

 _Well, begging Naruto is a sight to see._

"Okay, I'll see what I can do."

"Naruto stood upright. "Yes!" he said punching his fist in the air. He turned to walk out, but Kakashi continued on, nonchalantly adding, "But you should know, with the war over, and the formation of the alliance. there's not a lot of dangerous missions anymore. Mostly just simple boring, transport, dispatch and recovery... The kinds that drag out for days at a time."

Naruto stopped in his tracks. His brain seemed to be thinking. He quickly doubled back and asked, "Then, could I request to have those... with Hinata? All of them would be fine."

"Oh?" He asked. "They're not even B-rank missions, though. Are you sure you'd be fine with that?"

"Yeah! Of course I will be, I mean as long as it's just me and Hinata," He exclaimed pretty proudly, rubbing the back of his head with his bandaged hand. A blush was evident on his face as he chuckled. Kakashi rested his chin on top of the back of his hands. A smile forming behind his mask. He closed his eyes before saying, "I'll see what I can do Naruto."

"Alright! Thanks Kakashi- sense-, I mean, Hokage-sama." With lightning speed, he zipped out of the office.

 _Yeah, Naruto used to hate the boring stuff. Seems it's not boring if Hinata is there…_

 _Hmmmm, seems change really is possible._


	3. Approval?: Hyuuga

Hanabi watched as her sister gracefully walked around their house, humming as she did so. She crouched on the metal statue in their Zen garden. Hinata never hums. She's usually timid and always walks so cautiously, even at home. But everyday, since she started dating that yellow-haired guy, she's been becoming a whole new person. More assured of herself. More relaxed. Happier. It was good seeing her like this. It was also funny seeing her pine over him so pathetically, but it was better seeing her like this.

There was a scuffle at the door, Hanabi observed. "Hi, I'm here to pick up Hinata." "Welcome, hero Naruto." "You can just call me Naruto." In the middle of their friendly, routined exchange, Naruto's eyes widen and he pulled the guard onto the floor, just in time to avoid the kunai that flew past them. Hanabi was on roof of the entrance hut.

"Hey you, Hinata's boyfriend. Check it out!" She shouted from top of the roof of the hut, her forefinger pointed to the kunai that she threw, which had two little keychains hanging from it.

"That's pretty good, but it can't match this! Naruto replied, pulling out two kunais, each that had matching pair of green frog keychains tied to the ends.

"Bet you that i can aoivd all of your blows without even using my Byakugan." Hanabi challenged. Throwing him a grin, her lilac irises remained relaxed. She wouldn't need the Byakugan today. Returning that grin, Naruto put his hands together and in a cloud smoke, summoned 2 shadow clones./

 _It was on._

Hanabi's father walked out, to a sight that he had become well accustomed to over the past few months. Trees around their housing area were scratched deeply, some even sliced cleanly through the trunks. This time only one of the water fountains was broken, water spurting onto the ground. Hanabi battling against 3 Narutos this time. _One more than last time,_ he thought to herself, quite proudly. _Her training is coming along nicely._

A giggle from beside the entrance hut caught his ear. His elder daughter Hinata ran, hand-in-hand with a Naruto, who he guessed was probably the real one, away from their housing estate. He smiled to himself, something he rarely did. Hinata had grown into such a beautiful woman, stronger than he had ever hoped she would be. Her kindness and gentle nature, that he used to condemn her for, was now her greatest facet. It helped her find her happiness, with Naruto. The boy who said he would change the Hyuuga when he became hokage. The Hyuuga were a strong clan that held its traditions for generations. He doubted that he could break their ways. Naruto was far from a suitable match for his daughter, Hiashi decided long ago. But he was an adamant young man, full of zest and life. He was a self-made hero and a leader from the Shinobi war. To be completely honest, Hiashi was still astounded at his capabilities having brought out the true strength of shinobi, and the best of his daughter. So, for the time being, though he did not approve, Hiashi was alright with him.

There was a crash in the distance as another tree fell to the ground. A large flock of birds flew from the branches. "Kyaa! I thought you were the real one!"

Well, one daughter at least.


	4. Affection: Shikamaru

Shikamaru did not go well with women. They were complicated, loud, annoying and just plain troublesome. Notwithstanding that fact, he knew how to respect them, or at least knew the minimal he had to do to prevent them from flying into a violent rage. Man and woman were meant to be together, he knew that. But how they did get together, was a puzzle Shikamaru wasn't in a rush to solve. He just knew, boy meets girl, girl meets boy. Then there'd be some mention of respect and honesty and affection and equality in there, but that was a long road down.

That being said, he wondered how a tactless guy like Naruto could ever have attracted the prestigious well-bred daughter of the Hyuuga. She was a lady of class and demure. And he was the kind of guy that would start a fight over the last seat at Ichiraku's. He didn't know how to treat women, or even how to spoil them. Hinata was a princess of the Hyuuga clan, so it only seemed right if she was showered in affection everyday, thought Shikamaru. She was a nice girl. And Naruto was his friend, ally, hero, and soon to be his boss once he became hokage (but Shikamaru like to avoid thinking about it as long as possible).

So who'd expect this day to come, where shikamaru would be voluntarily, on his own account, be giving someone dating advice.

"You sure about this, Shikamaru?"

"Yes. Positive" He replied blankly. He hated being questioned. And especially when he was trying to be considerate. "Okay, if you say so."

A bell chimed as they walked into the Yamanaka flower shop. Ino was behind the counter and she perked up at the arrival of customers. "Hi Naruto! Is sai or Sakura with you?" Her one visible blue eye eagerly looking at Naruto.

"Hi Ino. Nah, I just have Shikamaru."

"Oh, I'm pretty disappointed."

"Nice to know my presence is well appreciated." _Sheesh this guy._

"So what can I do for you, today?"

"Shikamaru says I should get Hinata flowers."

"Oh really!" She betted her eyelashes at them, "And this came from Shikamaru himself?" Her tone was highly incredulous.

Shikamarus eyebrow twitched. _How troublesome._

"Okay so what flowers would you like? Take a look around, there's roses, lilies, orchids, carnations…" Naruto went around, eyeing the different flowers. Shikamaru glanced out the window, toward the sky. It was hard to see the cloud from inside the shop.

Naruto's voice interrupted his thoughts, "Oh how bout some of these."

 _Of course he just picks the least romantic ones in the shop._

"You sure about those?"

"Yeah they're big and really bright, I like 'em. I hope Hinata likes them too."

"Hehe, you're pretty cute when you're in love, ya know that, Naruto? Alright then. I'll be back."

She came back with two bouquets, and handed one to Naruto and thrusted the other one into Shikamaru's hands.

"What's this for?" He questioned her.

"Just take it." She commanded. "If you do, then both of them will be on the house."

Naruro looked at the change in his pocket, then turned to him, "Shikamaru please!"

"Alright, what a drag…"

They left the shop and Naruto was already in a rush to leave. "Alright I'm gonna go, Shikamaru. Thanks for the flowers!"

"Where are you going? Aren't you only seeing hinata later tonight?" He had just told him that earlier when they met. They were actually supposed to be on their way for lunch right now.

"Yeah, but since I have some flowers, i can see her now. Bye Shikamaru!"

And just like that, he was gone. Shikamaru smiled to himself. _This guy... Completely tactless._

He wanted to put his hands in his pockets, but remembered he was holding a bunch of flowers. _What am I going to do with these?_

 _Maybe there'll be a Shikatema fic after this? hehe_


	5. Stamina: Team 8

"Good morning Shino, Kiba!"

"Hello, Lady Hinata."

Akamaru turned his muzzle around toward Hinata and wagged him tail, whining as he did so.

"Good morning to you too, Akamaru," Hinata beamed at the canine, unassumingly.

Sniff sniff. _Ugh, not again._ Kiba growled in dismay.

The war has ended and lot of things have slowed down. Everything's been settling down, becoming really peaceful. The last dangerous thing to threaten the village was that moon guy kidnapping Hanabi. But that was weeks ago. There hasn't been any new missions, especially since the villages have been sharing the load of missions. So life has pretty much dulled down since then, and everyone's found ways to occupy their time, some with rebuilding parts of the village, or founding new buildings or joining the ninja alliance as a council member….but there are the few who have been finding new things to do. And it seems some people have too much time on their hands.

"What's wrong, Kiba?," Hinata asked innocently, truly concerned.

By now, the group was looking at Kiba, the only one who hadn't exchanged greetings like everyone else.

With anything but a smirk, he asked, "You were with naruto last night, weren't you"

Hinata turned a deep red. "W-w-what are you-"

"We get it Hinata, it's a normal thing. All animals are get in heat once in a while."

Hinata was shell-shocked, paralysed with embarrassment.

"Even insects have their routine mating rituals." Shino added, trying to soften Kiba's blow, but knowing well enough that he probably wasn't helping

"S-s-shino, even you!?" She asked hesitantly, fearing his reply.

He pushed up his glasses and told her simply, "My bugs see everything." He turned his head away in slight shame.

She turned an even darker shade.

"I get he has that fox chakra and whatever, but man- talk about stamina. His scent on you has only been getting stronger every day this week. Like what they say, right? Practice makes perfect?"

"Y-you've known this whole week?"

Shino turned to Kiba, outraged, and stilently scolded him, "I told you not to say anything. You're so uncouth."

"Me? Uncouth! You're the one who's been watching them."

"My bugs eat chakra, so they go to spots that are the most focused. How was I supposed to know they were going to release a lot of chakra-"

"C'mon, perv, don't act like you didn't know. You could hear them miles away."

"You're the pervert here, listening in on them."

"Her screams sounded like distressed! Tell who's the real pervert here, Hinata."

"Yes, please do, Hinata."

They stood head to head, glaring at each other. "Hinata?"

By then Hinata was lying still on the ground, having fainted. Akamaru sniffed at her, tailed held between his legs, shaking his head at the three of them.


	6. Future: Tsunade

"If only you could see us now, grandfather. How great the village was grown..." _How far the shinobi world has come,_ Tsunade thought, reflecting on all the things that have happened in the years past. More specifically, the things that took place when she was hokage.

She leaned back on her arms as she looked over the village from the highest point of the hokage building. The village had seen war, death, and destruction of devastating magnitudes, and yet- here it still stands. Taller and prouder than ever, continuing to advance. It might have taken her years to reach this point, but she finally understood how her grandfather felt. Hashirama Senju, the founder of the Leaf- the man who cultivated a nation with an idealistic notion and pulled together the divided strength of his comrades. To have had to raise and watch over entire village, one that started as a childish day dream and became a reality through immeasurable hardwork, but to never see how it ends. Growing up, she'd had great respect for her grandfather and the village, but she always believed the village was like an orphan- in the way that its parents were long gone before it managed to mature. Now she saw it for what it was, not an orphan, but a budding seed that grew despite its conditions, and could only flourish when given the right care.

She cringed at her romantic simile Maybe it was the beer talking. Jiraiya was the poet. She was the one who always got stuck with the tough job- whether it was keeping Jiraiya's moral's conscious or keeping the shinobi alive or running the hopsital or sometimes preventing the elders from politically ruining the village.

A hefty laugh escaped her lips. "You were right, grandfather. It seems like you were always right." Tsunade said aloud under the starry night sky, remembering how her grandfather told her she'd grow up to become someone very important.

There was nobody with her on the roof, but it didn't matter. She did this every once in a while. She talked to her grandfather's face that was on the hokage monument miles away from a rooftop alone with nobody around her. In the times that she wasn't in the village, she'd sit somewhere high up in the middle of the night and imagine her grandfather's face on the monument, then simply speak to him as if he were there. By the end of the night, eventhough it never solved anything, it helped her feel a little less lonely. Often at times, it gave her perspective.

The village stretched out before her, blanketed by a cover of white snow. It was about time for winter to come to an end, but spring seemed hesitant to arrive, as if it was waiting for something. A cool gust of wind blew past her, stirring her twin ponytails, pulling a loose strand of hair from her face.

She heard a soft 'thud' come from behind her. She didn't need to look back, she already knew who it was. Eventhough he was a ninja, he never was good at being sneaky.

"Granny? What are you doing here?"

"Naruto, I've told you to not call me that. Besides, I was about to ask you the same."

"I heard you talking to someone. Was someone else here?"

"No, just me, a crazy old lady talking to the dead in the middle of the night."

"Nah, you're not crazy for talking to the people you miss." He told her reassuringly.

 _As soon as I start thinking he'd never be able to surprise me anymore, the kid goes and says something like that._ She heard footsteps on the tiles of the roof and then he sat down next to her, silently. It felt odd, having him so quiet. She glanced at him and her eyes caught his head of short, spiky hair and a pair of perplexed blue eyes that sparkled in the night. She traced his gaze to the fourth face of the hokage monument. "Naruto?"

"Hmm?"

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, granny! Everything is great! Nothing could be better! The war is over, Ichiraku is always open, Sakura hasn't been hitting me on the head as frequently, Sasuke's back, I think Chouji and Shikamaru are having a secret beard contest- my money's on Chouji but everyone else says Shikamaru will have the better beard, also Sai's been a lot less creepy since he's been hanging out with Ino though he has lot of scratch marks on his back when we train together, I haven't really caught up with Tenten but Lee's been chasing me around the village to fight him for some training ... ," Naruto's false exuberance seemed to be hiding something.

Tsunadae then realised. He had omitted a very important person. "How is Hinata?" She asked innocently, stirring up the pot. The moon incident had happened a couple of months ago. and since then, Naruto and Hinata's relationship had become talk of the town. The hero had gotten the girl. They were a fairytale come true and they'd probably go down in history as such. In no time at all, they became Konoha's greatest attraction.

He turned his head away, but Tsunade could see his cheeks blush. He quietly muttered. "She's great, I think."

Tsunade used the back of her hand and smacked him on the head. "OW! Granny, what was that for?! Geez, you hit harder than Sakura!" He rubbed his head, feeling a bruise coming up.

"You shouldn't be thinking things like this, you should be knowing them. What did you do now?" Tsunade demanded.

"I didn't mean to- I mean- I didn't do anything... yet.. I want to do something, and I was ready to do it, but then Kiba said it had to be somewhere romantic, and Ino said there had to be flowers then Sai kept coming with his magazines and Shino started threatening to bury me in dung beetles, then Shikamaru begged me not to do it- saying something about how I'll start a domino effect and it would make life more troublesome for him... I don't know anymore. I was going to do it tonight, but then I couldn't get their words out of my head so I panicked and left before she arrived."

Naruto laid on his back and sprawled out on the rooftop. The biting wind didn't seem to bother him either. He moved his bandaged arm over his eyes and confessed, "Hinata will never forgive me now. I think I've ruined my one chance at happiness."

 _Geez, he's really pathetic when it comes to relationships, isn't he?_

"You're kinda bumming me out, kid," she told him nonchalantly," next time bring some beer with your problems, why won't you." Without moving his hand, Naruto replied from his position on the roof, "It's really weird how you go from esteemed lady hokage to sounding like a classless bum within seconds, granny."

Naruto should've saved that last breath. Before he could take another one, he was caught in a firm grip lock and was suffocating between two impressive breasts. Between his muffled screams, he got a few words out, "Not... appropriate... hokage... granny... dying..."

Effortlessly, she crossed her legs and held him in place. His arms were flailing all about now, but she was totally unfazed as the energy she expended was little to nothing. "This would be inappropriate if you were a real man, Naruto," she explained to him sternly. "A real man wouldn't let anything get in the way of his happiness. He'd direct all his energy and make it his dying wish to make sure his dream came true. Do you think a real man would let the people around him down? How are you going to become a decent hokage if you can't even commit to one woman?"

Naruto had slowly stopped fidgeting and relaxed. Released from her grip, he gasped for air then turned to the hokage monument. By the time his vision returned to him and his breathing had normalised, Naruto's thoughts had travelled far back to memories his parents had given him. The day his father became hokage and told his mother. His mother being taken to give birth in a remote place. People coming after them, and threatening him in front of his father. His mother almost dying in exchange for the nine tails chakra. His father leaving his mother to save the village. Then his mother willing to sacrifice herself for them. His father preparing himself to die. Then both their sudden deaths. His mother's words rang in his ears, _I wish i had more time..._

 _More time_ , he thought. His parents were strong, they were in love _and_ they had the hearts of heroes- but even they couldn't make it to see him grow up in the end. Their happiness was genuine and intense, but it was short lived.

Tsunade stared at him, a bit taken back by how far he had distanced himself from her, emotionally and physically. Even in the dark, she observed the concentrated worried expression on his face.

"Relax, kid. Whatever it is, you'll be able to do it."

"That's pretty vague advice," Naruto told her, with a very exasperated expression on his face. It was like she wasn't even trying. His head was swarming with thoughts- mostly worries and new fears he never expected to have.

"You're the number one knuckle-head ninja of the village, aren't you? Besides, I haven't seen you fall in the face of anything, no matter how stupid a kid you were. You're a grown up now so you should at least be smarter than you were. You also have your friends and mentors to back you up."

Naruto cracked a smile at that thought.

"My grandfather used to say that no one can predict the future. All you can do is work hard and prepare for it when it arrives."

"That's not bad, granny. You should be more wise more often-ack! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! No more talking! Please let me go!"

Tsunade sat back down on the roof tiles, as Naruto struggled to catch his breath. "Kid, you've got a long way till you become hokage and have to start worrying about hokage things on top of everyday things. So stop wasting your time and spend it on the people you love before you can't anymore."

"I got'cha, granny," he got up and dusted himself off, throwing his red scarf around his neck,"I should go, I have a special date with Hinata."

Tsunade had just run out of beer, and was headed to get more. "What's the occasion?" She asked very casually, as if she wasn't curious as well.

Right before he jumped off, he turned back and very cheerily added with a giggle, "Tonight I'm going to ask her to marry me."


End file.
